Make Time for yourself this New Year with FREE creative courses

If your 2020 resolution is to make time for yourself then you won’t want to miss Knowsley Council’s ’10 Ways to Wellbeing’ FREE creative courses.

The free sessions with professional artists are open to all adults and will give you the chance to explore a range of creative arts including creative writing/ storytelling, photography, drama, drawing or visual arts.

Part of Knowsley’s ‘10 Ways to Wellbeing’ the courses, which will run over 4 weeks, will provide the opportunity to learn a new skill and make new friends while making time for yourself.

The ’10 Ways’ are simple actions and activities which if done regularly can make a real difference to how you feel and cope with life’s ups and downs.

Storytelling/Creative Writing

Join our creative writing course and let your imagination flow. Learn how to write a compelling piece, be it a poem, short story or lyrics to a song!

Wednesdays at 6pm to 8pm

Stockbridge Leisure Centre, The Withens, Stockbridge Village, L28 1AB

29^th January

5^th February

12^th February

19^th February

Thursdays 6pm to 8pm

New Hutte Neighbourhood Centre, Lichfield Road, Halewood, L26 1TT

30^th January

6^th February

13^th February

20^th February  

Drawing for Health: Four Pictures Make Your Story

Using different styles of drawing, you will work on four related pictures, which will build over the four sessions, to tell a story of your life experiences. These sessions are all about understanding and telling your own stories through pictures.  

You don’t have to have drawing skills already, we will show you the way!

Saturday mornings 10.30am-12.30pm

Kirkby Resource Centre, James Holt Avenue, Kirkby, L32 5TD

1^st February

8^th February

15^th February

22^nd February

Visual Arts

Experience how visual arts can make a positive difference to your mood while learning to express yourself creatively.  Learn the power of abstract painting and how to mix basic colours and complementary colours to create your own colourful masterpiece.

Friday mornings 11am to 1pm

St George’s Church, Primrose Drive, Huyton L36 8DW 

7^th February

14^th February

21^st February

28^th February

Photography taster course

Learn how the power of photography can improve your mental wellbeing whilst connecting with the world around you.

All sessions start and finish in the libraries but will involve visits to local parks to explore the natural environment.

Saturday mornings 10.30am to 12.30pm

Huyton Library Culture Hub, Civic Way, Huyton L36 9GD

7^th March

14^th March

21^st March

28^th March

Prescot Library, Prescot Shopping Centre, Aspinall Street, L34 5GA

4^th April

11^th April

18^th April

25^th April

Drama techniques

Join a practitioner from Imaginarium Theatre as they introduce simple drama techniques to improve health and wellbeing. Learn how physical movement and expression can help you feel better, increase confidence and improve your mood. No previous drama experience is necessary.

Fridays 6.30pm to 8.30pm

Bryer Road Community Centre, Bryer Road, Prescot L35 5DW

6^th, March

13^th, March

20^th March

27^th March 2020

No previous experience is necessary, you just need to bring a lot of enthusiasm!

Register your interest for any of these courses by contacting Knowsley Culture Development and Events Service on 0151 443 5353 or emailing katy.mcloughlin@knowsley.gov.uk  

The NSPCC’s Speak Out Stay Safe programme is visiting our school to help us make sure our pupils have the knowledge and understanding they need to stay safe from abuse.

I’m pleased to tell you that we will be working with the NSPCC, the UK’s leading children’s charity, who’ll be delivering their Speak Out Stay Safe programme this term. This is a nationwide programme for every primary school aged child in the UK and Channel Islands. With the help of their friendly mascot Buddy, they’ll be presenting an assembly to the children in our school as well as a workshop for Years 5 and 6.

"NSPCC has helped me to build the confidence to tell people about my worries and problems." Child’s feedback

What is the Speak Out Stay Safe programme?

Through child-friendly, interactive assemblies and workshops, specially trained staff and volunteers will give our children information about how to keep themselves safe from harm and how to get help if they have any worries, sensitively discussing issues like bullying and abuse, without using scary words or adult language.

We have studied the content of the materials and are confident that they are appropriate for primary school aged children. By the end of their visit, we’re confident children will feel empowered – knowing how they can speak out and stay safe.

"This service provides important information in a child-friendly way – it should be made mandatory in all schools. A brilliant service!" Teacher, Wistaston Primary, Crewe

If you would like any more information about the NSPCC Speak Out Stay Safe programme, including frequently asked questions, you can find it on the NSPCC website nspcc.org.uk/schools or please come into speak to me and I can provide more information.

Talking about the Underwear Rule with your children

The NSPCC’s work in schools will help encourage conversations about staying safe – and they have a number of child-friendly materials to help you carry on the conversation afterwards. That includes ‘The Underwear Rule’, a simple way for parents to help keep children safe from sexual abuse – without using scary words or even mentioning sex. The guide uses the rules of PANTS to teach children that their body belongs to them and them alone. You can find out more and download the free resources at www.nspcc.org.uk/pants

If you’d like to know more about the NSPCC’s work, or take a look at the wide range of information and advice which is available for parents and carers, please visit their website nspcc.org.uk/preventing-abuse/keeping-children-safe/

Dear Parents and Carers

The Kirkby Child

This week will see  the launch of the Kirkby Child across our family of schools. The Kirkby Child started life at Kirkby High School. The school wanted to develop a set of core values and skills with the school community that were  important for students to work towards both in and out  of school.

Following the success of the concept with the school community at Kirkby High School the Headteachers of all the schools in Kirkby agreed this would be something to be adopted across the family of schools.

The Kirkby Schools Council has met on numerous occasions  to discuss and debate the concept and potential values and skills for all children in Kirkby, including pictorial representations of the Kirkby Child. Over fifty different values were identified. Those values were then shared with the wider school community and local businesses to invite thoughts on the most important of the concepts. From those responses, final decisions were made about an agreed set of values for all schools in Kirkby.

• Respectful
• Honest and truthful
• Positive attitude
• Resilient
• Good communicator
• Confident
• Committed and hardworking
• Aspirational and ambitious
• Polite

Your child will come home today with a bookmark outlining the nine values.

In school this week we have introduced The Kirkby Child to the children during assembly and there have been lots of opportunities to discuss the values during class activities. The Kirkby Child has visited all classes and we have displayed posters around the school.

We would like every child in Kirkby to reflect the set of values in the way they conduct themselves both within and outside of the school.

Thank you for your support.

Miss J. Withey

Headteacher Eastcroft Park Primary School